Hat well



J. POLITE March 29, 1949.

HAT WELL Filed Aug. 9, 1947 Patented Mar. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAT WELL .l'oseph Polite, Detroit, Mich.

Application August 9, 1947, Serial No. '767,700

9 Claims.

This invention relates to hat holders or hat wells.

One object of this invention is to provide a hat well capable of conveniently holding a hat and also preserving the shape of the brim.

Another object is to provide a hat well having a crown receptacle formed in two parts, one of which swings outward relatively to the other so that the hat is easily inserted and removed.

Another object is to provide a hat well, as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein the hat is protected from dust and is kept in form by brim-shaping members which are pressed toward one another on opposite sides of the brim.

Another object is to provide a hat well having a divided crown receptacle adapted to receive various sizes of hats and which permits air to enter and circulate inside the crown and thus maintain it in a clean and sanitary condition.

Another object is to provide a hat well having complementary brim-shaping members, one of which is movable away from the other, and a divided crown receptacle attached thereto, one of the halves of which automatically swings outward as one of the hat-shaping members is moved away from the other.

Another object is to provide a hat well, as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein the crown receptacle halves are detachable so as to permit storing or shipping the device in compact space.

Another object is to provide a hat well, as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein one of the brim-shaping members is urged toward the other by a pair of spring-pressed arms, the ends of which are fastened to the center of one of the brim-shaping members so as to obtain an even distribution of pressure upon the brim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a hat well, according to a preferred form of the invention, with one of the brim shaping members and a portion of the spring cover broken away to disclose the construction beneath it;

Figure 2 is a central vertical section along theline 2--2 in Figure 1, with the end of the handle in side elevation;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section along the line 3-3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a right-hand end elevation of the- Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the actuating portion of the movable half of the crown receptacle; and

Figure '7 is a cross section through the crown receptacle and brim-shaping members taken along the line 'I-'I in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures 1 and 2 show a hat holder or hat well, generally designated I Il, as consisting generally of a handle structure II, an upper brim-shaping member I2, stationary and movable lower brim-shaping halves I3 and It respectively, corresponding stationary and movable crown receptacle halves I5 and I6 respectively, and an adjustable hat interior shaping device I'I. The upper brim-shaping member I2 is of annular form, whereas the stationary brim-shaping member I3 is of semiannular form and has a bracket portion I8 secured by the screws Illa to the handle structure II. The movable lower brim-shaping member I4 is likewise of semi-annular form and is provided at one end with a rearwardly-extending arm I9 which is pivotally mounted upon a pivot pin or stud 20 secured to the handle structure II. The arm I9 extends rearwardly beyond the pivot stud 20 and is provided with an upstanding flange 2I. The stud ZIJ passes through holes 22 and 23 in the arm I9 and handle structure II respectively (Figures 2 and 6). A coil spring 24 encircles the pvot stud 20 and has one of its ends 25 resting against an anchor pin 26 secured to the stationary lower brim-shaping member I3 and has its other end 2'I engaging the flange 2|. By this means, the movable lower brim-shaping member Ill is resiliently urged toward the stationary brim-shaping member I3.

The upper brim-shaping member I2 is provided with a pair of hinge brackets 23 located approxi-mately on its cross-diameter and serving to pivotally hold the outer ends 29 of parallel spring arms 30 each consisting of outer and inner arm portions 3| and 32 respectively. The outer arm portions 3| are anchored at their ends in notches 33 (Figure 3) in the opposite ends of a shaft 3l! which is journaled in the aligned bores 35 in angle brackets 3B mounted on and riveted to the handle structure I I. The ends 31 of the outer arms 3| are bent angularly on opposite sides of the notches 33 so as to retain them in these notches. The inner spring arms 32, on the other hand, terminate in coil spring portions 38, the opposite ends 39 of which pass through holes 43 in the handle structure II and are bent as at 4I (Figure 2) to anchor them in position.

The spring portions 38 and the shaft 34 which 3 they encircle are concealed by a spring cover 42 which is secured by the screws 43 to the angle brackets 36. The spring cover 42 has end slots 44 for the passage of the inner spring arm portions 32 and also has a central slot 4.5 through which passes a hub 46 secured as by the set screw 41 to the shaft 34. The hub 46 is provided with spaced ears 43 bored to receive a pivot pin 49 which likewise passes through a tongue i! on the lower end of a swinging handle ,5l having stop anges 52 swinging into abutting engagement with the ears 48. By this means, the handle 5I can swing forward into the dotted-line position to the left thereof in Figure 2 without rotating the shaft 34, yet rotates the shaft 34 when swung into the right-hand dotted line position rintFig.- ure 2. This construction permits the handle 5I to be swung into a iiat position after a hat has been inserted. At the same time, rhowever, the swinging of the handle 5| rearwardly (Figure .2) `rotatesithefshaft3.41m aelockwise direction to 4swing the Vparallel arms 3 9 upward, carrying with them the upper briinfshaping member l2.

Mountedon'the.shaft34is a radialpn-53 which when the .shaft 3.4 is rotated by means oi Ythe handle 5l, engages the iiange 2.! and swings .the .lower movablebrim-shaping member ld outward -away from the stationary member i3. The pin .53.andflange2 I, thereioreaet as a cam and cam follower respectively. The outward swinging of the brimfshaping'mernbey iii carries with it the Ycrown receptacle yhalf i6 which is provided with a flange 52 seated under a retaining strip 55 (Fig- -ure '7) which is welded or otherwise secured -to `the under side oi the member i4. Similarly, the upper edge of the stationary crown receptacle half I5 is provided with a flange `5S lseated Iunder a similar retaining strip 5.? likewise welded or otherwise secured to the underside of the stationary lower brim-shaping member i3.

The crown receptacle halves i5 and IE5-together -form `a .cup-shaped receptacle 'or the `crown `of ythe'hat H, the brim of whichfis held between the 'brim-shaping members l2, i3 and ifi. The receptacle lhalves i5 Yand i5 -may be removed from Ytheirretaining strips- 55,51 in order'to nestwthem -for storage or shipment. The joints or-gaps 53 (Figure 5) between the halves i5, `l lare covered `Vby V,vertical lips or flanges 59.

The handle structure il is .provided with an arcuate flange `Gil adjacent the `.rearward ends of thehalves l5, i@ and-integral with this ange V,is a slightly rounded boss (Figure 2) whichengages the underside of the stationary-brirn-shap- -ing member '23 andllsv'in the space between it and the handle Astructure il. The brim-shaping `mem-bers I2, li3 and iii are-.either iiat orconvexoconcave according tothe shape .of the .brim of the hat which the device is intended to receive.

in order to shape the Iinterior of the hat H Vin the vicinity of 'the sweatbandthereoi, thc upper Abrim-shaping member l2 is provided `with a Ypair of upstanding ears 52 located at theforward and rearward ends of the oval laperture 53 in the brim-shaping member i2. Theears G2 are bored as `at 64' to slidably receive'the outer ends of oppositely-threaded rods 65 and 53 respectively, the `inner ends of which are threaded -into the kopposite]y-tl'lreaded vends of ithe boi-'e f-'l in Avan adjusting collarf (Figure 2). The rods and 166 are flanged, as at 59, and secured to these anges are `arcuate .members lil which engage 'the crown of the chat 'H in the .vicinity of 'the `sweatband. v4The rotation of thecollar 6E causes 'the arcuatefmembers :1D to move toward ora-way from one another so as to fit diierent sizes of hat.

The handle structure ll is provided with a handle portion 1I which is drilled transversely as at 12 (Figure 4) to receive a pivot pin 13. The latter passes through the eyes 'F65 formed on the lower ends of a U-shaped bail or latch "i5, the upper portion of which is adapted to snap into a notch 16 formed between ridges 'il on the end oi lthe swinging .handle 5|, when the latter is `pulled l'into a position parallel with the handle portion 1|.

In the operation or use of the invention, to in- .rser-t a hat, the operator swings the handle 5i upward from its left-hand dotted position to its Avertical solid-line position, whereupon the stop anges 52 (Figures 2 and 3) engage the ears 48 in abutting relationship. Further swinging of the 'handle 5f! to the right into the right-hand dotted line posiion rotates the shaft 34 through approxi- :mately .deereesaml swings 'these-ring arm-,S Si! upward. This raises the upper brim-shaping membe r1.|;.2 :toga ,vertical position indicated by V the idottedjlinesgatthe upperend of thD handle V5l. The bail `or latch l5 may now be `snapped over :the outerridge 'Ll' ,into the notch it?, holding the iparts in this position.

In 4the meantime, the rotation of the shaft 3.4i has caused the pint to engage the obiiquely-di- ,reotedange 2| on the end of the arm i9 of the zmovable Alower brim-shaping member i4, swing- `ingithe latterloutward around the pivot stud 2G and consequently separating the crown receptacle halves ,i5 and i5, thereby making `it easier ltoinsertthe hat. The hat IH is then inverted and dropped jfinto ythe space between the hat well 'halves :lgiand Iii. The operator then swings `the lbail 'E .out of the notch iS, releasing the handle 5l. -Thecoil springs '33, which have been `coinpressed while raising the spring arms 3Q, now fswingV the latter downward and with them the up- -perlbrimhaping member i2. At the same time, :theiconsequent rotation of the sha-ft ,34 swings -t-he pin ,53 upwardout .of engagement ,with `the ihang-e121 and the v'coil spring'i? swings the movable lower brim-shaping member Hl and recepftacle hal-f l5 inward toward the stationary .brim- -shaping.',nflember d'3 and receptacle half.

'liheicollar .168 ,is now rotated in one direction .forztheothergso as -to brinethearcuate members 'iii into engagement with the sweatband .of `the hatl-Igholding it rinlyin position and preventring distortion thereof. The handle 5l may then. abe swungdownwardto lthe left (Figure 2,) into its ,dotted line position so as to make the device imorecompact.

'What l claim is:

1. 'A rhat well-comprisinga support having oo nnected thereto a hat crown receptacle, a pair of relatively movable complementary brim-shaping 4.structures `engagea-ble with Vthe opposite Surfaces .cia fbrim, one of-said structures including a portion iinovable late-rally relatively to the remainder thereof, one of said structures being hi-ngedtofsaid support to swing toward andaway ,from the ,other structure, a handle pivotally mounted on said support, and mechanismopera- :tively connecting vsaid handle to said structures and responsive to the swinging of said handle :to Inovesaid structuresfaway from one another.

2. :A hat wellieomprising afsupport having conrnected :thereto ya -hat crown vvreceptacle, e. pair of .relatively lmovable complementary brim-shaping :structuresgengagea-ble with the opposite surfaces 77&5 of a hat brim, one of said structures includinga portion movable laterally relatively to the remainder thereof, one of said structures being hinged to said support to swing toward and away from the other structure, a handle pivotally mounted on said support, and mechanism operatively connecting said handle to said structures and responsive to the swinging of said handle to move said structures away from one another and also to move the movable portion of one of said structures laterally away from the remainder thereof.

3. A hat well comprising a. support having con nected thereto a hat crown receptacle and a pair of relatively movable complementary brim-shaping structures engageable with the opposite surfaces of a hat brim, one of said structures including a portion movable laterally relatively to the remainder thereof, said crown receptacle also having a portion movable laterally relatively to the remainder thereof.

4. A hat well comprising a support having connected thereto a hat crown receptacle and a pair of relatively movable complementary brim-shaping structures engageable with the opposite surfaces of a hat brim, one of said structures including a portion movable laterally relatively to the remainder thereof, said crown receptacle also having a portion connected to the laterally movn able portion of said structure and movable laterally relatively to the remainder thereof.

5. A hat well comprising a support having connected thereto a hat crown receptacle, a pair of relatively movable complementary brim-shaping structures engageable with the opposite surfaces of a hat brim, one of said structures including a portion movable laterally relatively to the remainder thereof, one of said structures being hinged to said support to swing toward and away from the other structure, a handle pivotally mounted on said support, and mechanism operatively connecting said handle to said structures and responsive to the swinging of said handle to move said structures away from one another, said crown receptacle also having a portion movable laterally relatively to the remainder thereof.

6. A hat well comprising a support having connected thereto a hat crown receptacle, a pair of relatively movable complementary brim-shaping structures engageable with the opposite surfaces of a hat brim, one of said structures including a portion movable laterally relatively to the remainder thereof, one of said structures being hinged to said support to swing toward and away from the other structure, a handle pivotally mounted on said support, and mechanism operatively connecting said handle to said structures and responsive to the swinging of said handle to move said structures away from one another, said crown receptacle also having a portion connected to the laterally movable portion of said structure and movable laterally relatively to the remainder thereof.

7. A hat well comprising a support having a pair of complementary brimshaping structures engageable with the opposite surfaces of a hat brim, a shaft rotatably mounted on said support and connected to one of said structures, a handle connected to said shaft to rotate said shaft, the other structure having a stationary portion con-- nected to said support and a movable portion movable laterally relatively to said stationary portion, and mechanism connecting said movable portion to said shaft for moving said movable portion away from said stationary portion in response to the rotation of said shaft.

8. A hat well comprising a support having a pair of complementary brim-shaping structures engageable with the opposite surfaces of a hat brim, a shaft rotatably mounted on said support and connected to one of said structures, a handle connected to said shaft to rotate said shaft, the other structure having a stationary portion connected to said support and a movable portion movable laterally relatively to said stationary portion, mechanism connecting said movable portion to said shaft for moving said movable portion away from said stationary portion in response to the rotation of said shaft and a hat crown receptacle having stationary and `latenallymovable portions connected respectively to said stationary and laterally-movable brim-shaping structure portions for motion therewith.

9. A hat well comprising a support having a pair of complementary brim-shaping structures engageable with the opposite surfaces of a hat brim, a shaft rotatably mounted on said support and connected to one of said structures, a handle connected to said shaft to rotate said shaft, the other structure having a stationary portion connected to said support and a movable portion movable laterally relatively to said stationary portion, mechanism connecting said movable portion to said shaft for moving said movable portion away from said stationary portion in response to the rotation of said shaft and a hat crown receptacle having stationary and laterally-movable portions connected respectively to said stationary and laterally-movable brim-shaping structure portions for motion therewith, said receptacle portions being detachably secured to the corresponding portions of the brim-shaping structure to which they are attached.

JOSEPH POLITE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,259,930 Gawelek Oct. 21, 1941 2,283,660 Widmann May 19, 1942 

